PREVENTIVE MEASURES OF NKVD FOR STRENGTHENING THE SOVIET REAR AREA (AUGUST 1941 - MAY 1943)
V.I. SHISHKIN
Institute of History SB RAS, 8, Nikolaev Str., Novosibirsk, 630090, Russian Federation
Keywords: Great Patriotic War, NKVD, defensive lines, special group, underground, Far East, partisan units
Abstract
NKVD abbreviation is associated in Russia’s citizen consciousness, as a rule, with repression and GULAG. However, this department had various competences and duties at different times. For example, NKVD carried out an enormous volume of construction works to erect defensive lines both east and west of Moscow at the beginning of the Great Patriotic War. This report introduces into scientific discourse the information about forming a special group in late summer 1941 by NKVD with the responsibility to realize sabotage operations against fascists in the capital in case the Red Army left Moscow. In May 1942 about a half of participants of this group was sent to the Far East, where they were engaged during 8 months in creating partisan units and bases in a case of war against Japan. The report provides evidences that the group successfully fulfilled the tasks assigned to it.
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